New Mexico Foundation for Open Government names new director

ALBUQUERQUE - A longtime New Mexico journalism, communications and public relations professional has been selected as the next executive director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.

Melanie Majors, 63, will lead the nonpartisan nonprofit, which was founded in 1989 to educate and advocate on behalf of transparency in open government.

Majors was a member of the foundation's board of directors, but stepped down in April to lead FOG as the interim director. She became the permanent director on Wednesday.

Majors has had a 25-year career in New Mexico, starting as a print journalist for the Grants Daily Beacon and then working at KOB-TV.

Most recently, Majors owned and operated The Majors Company, which is a public relations firm, and she is an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico.

Majors said in an interview that FOG will continue its mission to educate journalists, business leaders, government officials and the general public about New Mexico sunshine laws, which include the Inspection of Public Records Act, the Open Meetings Act and the Arrest Record Information Act.

"Transparency is for everybody. If we (the public) know what's going on ... we can make much better decisions," she said. "FOG wants people to know that open government is for everyone, not just journalists."

Majors has received various awards from the New Mexico Press Association, New Mexico Press Women, the Associated Press Managing Editors and the New Mexico Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

"Melanie has proven time and again her commitment to and understanding of FOG's mission through her service on the board, and most recently when she stepped in as interim director," said Karen Moses, NMFOG president. "She also brings her experience as a private businesswoman and communications expert to the table," said Moses, who is also editor of the Albuquerque Journal.

If anyone has questions or concerns about IPRA or the Open Meetings Act, FOG can be contacted at 505-764-3750.